Summer days at the villa
by Karinka-ten
Summary: Sakura is Syaorans new chef and housekeeper. She dislikes him and thinks he is mean but can't find the courage to quit. He this she is plain and ordinary and there to meet his every need.


Summer days at the Villa

Chapter 1

The new housekeeper

Never in a million years could a simple girl from a small town have dreamt that one day she would be staying at a luxury villa in the outskirts of Tokyo. She felt almost primitive as she followed the old lady and tried to pay attention to the rules of the house.

"This place is simply amazing." she said touching the white drapes that hang from a long window.

"Well...yes, the Li family is very particular when it comes to their home. Everything has to be perfect" Old Mrs. Takanawa pointed out. She had worked for the Li family for 3 generations. Sakura found it cruel that they still expected her to complete such tasks. She was a short stubby woman with friendly face and flushed cheeks. She could not walk without hunching her back of stopping midway to take a huge breath.

"And this is your room." she said.

Sakura gave her a polite nod and strolled in. She looked around the small room. It was a room unfit for someone in her position. She thought. The walls were butter yellow and there was a double bed in the room with a metal head board. Paintings of sunflowers hung on the wall, a wooden chest drawer and closet.

"Thank you Mrs. Takanawa." she said expecting to be left alone soon after that. Now that she had been given the grand tour and her one suitcase was on the bed she was to occupy for the next four months or so, she was prepared to unpack and perhaps explore the long hallway that lead to the country yard.

"Now, dinner is at six, which means that master Li will expect his dinner ready by that time."

She nodded; this gave her three hours to do what she wanted. She was almost certain that other than her, Mrs. Takanawa, the gardeners and the mysterious who was said to be absent, there was no one else there. She imagined herself swimming in the long rectangular pool under the cherry blossoms.

"I hope you don't think this is some kind of vacation."

Sakura shook her head surprised at the accusation "No, I know that. I'm here to be Master Li's private chef and housekeeper." she said. She imagined that master Li was a middle-aged, busy business man—divorced twice, she thought.

She walked up to bed "Do you mind telling me about Master Li."

Mrs. Takanawa laughed for a short moment and replied "How are you expecting him to be like?"

Sakura sat on the edge of the bed "Well, stern...I read in a business magazine that he is twice divorced, 6 kids...many estates in Japan. Should I be expecting children? I have never been around children. Will I be expected to do more?" Sakura realised she was rumbling like she always did "Sorry." she said smiling from ear to ear. Her happiness went all the way up to her emerald eyes.

Mrs. Takanawa smiled and headed for the exit "See you at supper."

She sighed. A sense of adventure rushed through her veins. She was not sure what to expect and she loved the feeling.

Sakura Kinomoto had spent all of her life in a small town where she lived and attended school up until College. After her father remarried and implicitly told her to move out and put her culinary certificate to good use, Sakura decided to go big, she decided to leave the small town and finally pursue a life of her own. It took a 5 month quarter life crises and a few married and pregnant friends to make her realise that she was not living her life to the full list. She could still recall being a teenager and believing that going to prom alone meant the end of the world. Now she was forced into this adult world that she did not prepare for. For the first time in a long time she felt content.

She wondered what her Father and friends would think if he knew that she was also a housekeeper and not just a private chef. Her family had always been well off financially. They were not rich, but comfortable enough. She could have simply found a job at a restaurant somewhere in her hometown. However, Sakura wanted something different and the job paid triple the amount she would make working at a restaurant.

She opened the curtains allowed the summer beams into her room. She walked up to the square mirror on the wall and smiled back at her reflection. She had a soft face soft pink lips and a rounded chin that complimented her easy charming smile. Her short auburn hair was groomed cropped gently around her face.

She unzipped her navy blue suitcase and took out all of her favourite novels and camera. She walked outside of the room, strolled in the garden and took pictures of everything she found to be amusing.

After two hours of utter peace, she entered the kitchen and started preparing supper for her new boss. She thought Sashimi with wasabi would be perfect; after all it was her best dish. As she cooked Mrs. Takanawa educated her more about the rules.

"Mr. Li expects his meals to be on time. He is allergic to nuts and soy sauce...don't give him eye contact...he does not like eye contact, don't bring friends over when he is around...don't act smart.'' Sakura nodded as she perfected the dish.

However, Mr. Li failed to make an appearance that evening. It was almost 11:00 and they had been waiting for him since six. Sakura yawned as tired teardrops gathered at the edge of her eyes.

"You can go to sleep you know. He probably went out with friends. He loves to party." Mrs Takanawa said.

Sakura smiled slightly and thought "He must be going through some sort of mid-life crisis"

She retired to her room. She could hear Mrs. Takanawa locking the doors and turning off the lights. She slipped into her baby pink pyjamas, turned off the lights and jumped to bed.

She could not help but think about Mr. Li... She wondered what kind of man he was. She wondered if he would like her or her cooking. She assumed she would be the youngest person to ever be on his domestic staff. As soon as she was about to doze off, she heard a loud crash from outside. It sounded like a gun shot. She jumped out of bed and turned on the lights. Afraid, she grabbed her blow dryer and crept outside the bedroom.

To much of her surprise, the house was completely dark and there was no sign of Mrs. Takanawa. She ambled to the living room walking on the tip of her toes.

She walked into the foyer when the door swung open and a body collapsed on the wooden floor.

Sakura gasped and held her hand to her heart. She wondered if the person was dead. Trembling, she searched for the light switch.

The person on the floor was a man. He wore a light blue shirt, black slacks and black ankle boots. Sakura slowly walked towards him. He shifted his body a little and Sakura took a sigh of relief...he was not dead.

She kept her eyes fixed on him uncertain of what to do. She bit her fingers and tried to ration with herself when finally, the man spoke "shit...shit..." he muttered in a hoarse tone.

Sakura finally walked up to him and crouched "Are...are you alright sir?" she stuttered.

He raised his head and opened his eyes. His eyes were intense amber and his hair dark brown. Sakura gaped as he tried to regain his composure.

"Well, that was a disaster." he said.

She could smell alcohol and cigarettes on him. He couldn't possibly be "The " he was practically her age...and a drunken confused idiot.

He sat up.

"Who are you?" she asked.

He raised an eyebrow "I've got the mind to ask you the same thing lady." he said more coherent this time.

"I live here." she said defensively.

"No..." he said slowly getting up and nearly bumping her in the process "I live here." he said.

Sakura shook her head and stood up "What happened to you?"

"I bumped my car into the tree." He said now staring outside the door.

He averted his head and looked at her once more "You never answered my question...what are you doing in my house?"

Sakura swallowed hard. "I'm Sakura, the new housekeeper."

He nodded "Brilliant. Now help me to my room Sayuri or whatever you said your name is. Take me to the guestroom, it's down the hall." he said in a drunken voice.

Sakura closed the door behind them and locked it. As soon as she turned around he threw his arm around her neck. She could barely get a glimpse of his face. The messy bangs of his damp hair hovered over his face. His shirt was wet and he was heavy on her shoulders. He was a head taller than her and of medium built.

As he leaned heavily on her, she winced and placed an arm around his waist for her own support.

"I bet you think I'm upset that I ran my car into a tree but I couldn't be anymore pleased with myself." he said.

She just said in a low tone "ok"

"You smell nice." he told her "If you want...you can join me in my bed."

Sakura gasped. She was tempted to let him go and walk away. She had spent most of her life avoiding people like him. Spoilt rich boys who think they can get what ever it is they wanted.

She was silent.

"You don't talk a lot, do you?" he sighed. They reached the guestroom. She opened the door and escaped his hold on her. He walked to the bed and lay down on his back. The next thing she knew he was fast asleep.

Sakura slowly closed the door and ran back to her room. She jumped unto the bed and hid herself under the sheets like a little girl running from monsters. Minutes within meeting her boss, she had been sexually harassed, used as a post to lean on and been insulted. The worst part of it all had to be the fact that he did not seem all that much older than her. Should she report him...but to whom...that behaviour was nowhere appropriate. The best thing to do would be to leave...she thought. Yes...early tomorrow morning she was going to pack her bags and go back home. Surely she was not mentally prepared for such behaviour. She hated unpredictable people...she particularly hated unpredictable men. She was not sure what it was but something about him frightened her.

...

She did not get an ounce of sleep that night. She grabbed her suitcase from under the bed and started packing her clothes. She would sneak out before they ever meet again.

She took a quick shower, put on her turquoise summer dress and as she glided her bag across the kitchen floor; a deep voice startled her.

"Going somewhere?"

Sakura held her hand to her heart. It was him. He was sitting behind the counter with a glass of water in front of him.

"Um...I think I should leave." she said. She could finally see his face. Dark eyebrows, dark bags and sexy lips...she thought.

"You must be the new housekeeper." he said speaking like he was meeting her for the first time.

"I was...was the new housekeeper." she corrected him.

"What do you mean was?" he asked her taking a sip of the water.

"I don't think this little arrangement is going to work." she could feel herself becoming nervous.

He raised an eyebrow "How come? Don't tell me you can't cook." he said laughing a little after that.

"Well...last night—"

"I crashed my car..." he interrupted her "I was coming from the pub and I know I shouldn't drink and drive."

Sakura just blinked 'he doesn't remember?' she asked herself.

"You are really young. Much younger than I expected." he said casually to her.

"So are you."

He smiled; he was even more handsome when he smiled. "How old are you?"

Her vision finally drifted away from his face and she realised he was wearing a white t-shirt and boxer shorts. Her cheeks turned bright red and she turned her face away from him.

When he saw this, he smiled. He found it amusing and cute.

"24" Sakura said fidgeting with her hair, uncertain of what to do now.

He nodded and got on the high chair next to the counter "Hmmm, you didn't make me any breakfast."

"Um..." she was not sure of what to say. She just stood there dumbfounded.

"Well, don't just stand there. Get cooking." he said walking past her. "I like my coffee black...no sugar."

"ok" she mentally scolded herself for being so obedient and easily persuaded. In her mind, she is always braver, smarter and more independent than she believed she appeared in real life.

She returned to the bedroom and resented herself for being so weak. She could have just told him that he had made a pass on her the night before and that she wanted to leave. She should have been brave and assertive. She should have protested against making him coffee. But the moment had passed and now the only thing left to do was get back to work and prove herself to him. Perhaps he was not that bad and the events of the previous night were a one time thing. The more she told herself this, the more she felt silly for considering leaving.

...

Syaoran looked outside the living-room window and regretfully watched his mothers car pull off in the drive way. A red sports car to soothe her midlife crisis and a painful divorce settlement that did nothing to increase her wealth. He already knew how this visit was going to go.

When he met her at the door, she kissed his cheek resting her long fingers on his shoulder blades.

"What did you do to your car?" she asked.

He chuckled a little and she rolled her eyes. "Well mother..." he began taking a step away from her "I didn't see the tree...my tail lights were not working and—"

She laughed sarcastically "Save me the lies, you are just like your father sometimes. You're 25 Syaoran, when is this phase going to finally end? When are you going to start being responsible and start acting like an adult?"

Syaoran had heard this many times "When are you going to start your career?"

He raised a shoulder refusing to meet her amber eyes "I do have a career" he said defensively in a low tone.

"I wouldn't call your writing hobby a career."

He sighed "I am an author."

She walked past him "I want you to get a real job, find a good girl...settle down."

"At 25 mother?" he asked her with authority in his eyes. It was not up to her to decide how he lived his life.

He walked a few feet behind her as she speculated the villa that was once their vacation home.

"The new housekeeper came in yesterday." he said.

She nodded "I'm happy to hear that."

He smirked from the corner of his lips "Yeah, she is practically my age."

Yelan stopped walking and looked at him. He had a cheeky smirk on his face. "Is she attractive?"

He folded his arms over his chest "Well...she is...surprisingly. A little too anxious for my liking but, who knows."

Yelan sighed "You better not—"

"—not what?" he mused a saucy chuckle "relax, I won't touch her." he laughed after that. He loved to push her buttons.

"No fooling around with the maid." she said in a strict tone.

As she said that, Sakura walked into the room. It hit her even harder that she was a paid 'maid'. She wondered if the title meant that she should be feeling ashamed. She nodded politely "Hello, my name is Sakura Kinomoto."

Yelan looked at her for a moment then dismissed her with her eyes. Sakura could tell that the woman had already made up her mind about her. She just couldn't tell if she thought well or ill of her. Syaoran stood behind his mother. He was smiling and giving her an intense look the whole time. It made her uncomfortable.

"I must leave darling." she spoke like she was a movie star from another era.

Syaoran finally stopped looking at Sakura and walked his mother out. As he walked up, she started to clean the living room. There were papers and books everywhere. She didn't know where to begin. She was still confused at what exactly her job was. The only cleaning experience she had were the chores she did at home. The house was much bigger than what she was used to.

Syaoran walked back into the living-room. His eyebrows shot up "What are you doing!" He exclaimed running to where she was. He took the papers out of her hands.

Sakura stood there, dumbfounded "I..." her throat was dry.

"The number one rule of the house is not to touch any of my documents." he said in a harsh tone.

"I didn't know."

He sighed and placed the papers on the table.

There was a moment of silence as his eyes looked around the room making sure nothing else had been meddled with. He finally looked at her. She looked afraid of him. He started to regret reacting the way he did. However, instead of doing the right thing and apologising. He said to her, "Do you know how to drive?"

She nodded.

"I'll need you to drive me around. My licence was confiscated awhile back. Driving around is a risk for me."

"Alright, Sir." she said. She hated how she sounded and she hated that she had to give such respect to someone her age. He was immature, mean and she arrogant. She hated him.

He looked into her eyes for a split second and then turned his back to her as he walked to his typewriter that was on the coffee table.

"Have I made you upset?" He asked her.

"No." she replied and he was disappointed. She was just like any other woman. He wanted her to talk back to him and tell him about how horrible he was. However, she proved not to be worth a moment of his time.

...

to be continued


End file.
